Toy electric railway and apparatus therefor



June 28, 1932.

| w. ROSENTHAL TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Nov. 10

Q JNVENTOR Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE LEON W. ROSENTHAL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Application filed November 10, 1930. Serial No. 494,534.

means for preventing collision and controlling the movement of one or more trains.

Another object is to provide means whereby this control may be exercised manually or automatically as by train control.

Still another object is to provide a track n to which said control means may be applied.

The track, for this purpose, is preferably made continuous and is divided into blocks identified by an insulated third rail therein. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the third rails of alternate blocks are connected to each other in electrical parallel by a common conductor connected to the foregoing control means. Blocks connected to each other by a common conductor are denominated for convenience groups.

The control means comprises preferably make-and-break switches connected to the source of operating current and respectively to each of the groups. Each switch is therefore arranged to connect or disconnect the group with which it is associated from the source.

Preferably the switches are arranged to operate alternately or intermittently by a reciprocating solenoid-actuated plunger controlled either through the intermediary of a'manual switch or automatically by the train.

The plunger-operated switches are preferably mechanically separate from but in the path of operation of said plunger near the end of its stroke so that the operation of said plunger shall be unimpeded and it shall acquire a sufhcient momentum to close the switch toward the end of its throw.

The solenoid preferably consists of two sections or coils having a common connection to the source of operating current while the other ends of said coils are connected respectively to trackside elements arranged to be engaged by a train and grounded and constituting the train control, as well as respectively to the contacts of a single pole double throw manual switch constituting the manual control. 1

Novelly arranged lamp circuits are provlded for indicating the electrical condition of the blocks.

Other features of the invention will appear hereafter.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Therein is disclosed a circular track 1 having a plurality of blocks 2, 3, 4 and 5. alternate blocks 2 and t are connected to each other in electrical parallel by a common conductor 6 while the alternate blocks 3 and 5 are connected to each other in electrical parallel by common conductor 7. tor 6 is connected to contact 8 of switch 9, while conductor 7 is connected to contact 10 of switch 11. The end contacts 12 and 13 of switches 9 and 11 respectively are connected The Common conducv to the source of propulsion current. and are made of light spring metal.

Switches 9 and 11 are arranged to be alternately closed by plunger 14 operating within energizing coils 15 and 16 of a solenoid 17 having a common connection 18 to the source of propulsion current. The opposite end of coil 15 is connected by common conductor 19 to trackside conductors 20 and 21, while the opposite end of coil 16 is connected by common conductor 22 to trackside conductors 23 and 24c. The trackside conductors are disposed in proximity to the insulators between the blocks and are arranged to contact with a shoe or other conductor grounded through the locomotive frame and wheels by way of the outer track rails. It will thus be seen that there is an interval of time, on a train passing from one block into another, when the shoe of the train contacts with a trackside conductor which completes an electrical circuit from the source to the grounded track rails, through an energizing coil of the solenoid.

According to one embodiment of my invention, I have arranged it that while one block is connected to the source a block immediately behind it is disconnected from said source so that a train on said disconnected block will be held until a train on the section ahead (receiving current) passes out of its block. Just prior to the last mentioned train passing out of its block into the next, or about the time it does so, its shoe is arranged to contact with a trackside conductor near the point where the break occurs between the blocks so that the proper coil shall be energized to throw the plunger, which will in turn close the proper switch to connect the heretofore disconnected block to the source and disconnect the block out of which the train has ust passed out of or is about to pass out of.

Referring now particular ly to the drawing, there are shown two trains A and B respectively on blocks -2 and 5. Block'2 is alive by virtue of the fact that switch 9 is closed, while block 5 is dead by virtue of the fact that switch '11 is-open. Train A on block-2 is receiving current and running, while train :13 on block 5 is not receiving current and is either coasting or slowing up, stopped or stopping. (Of course when block 2 is alive, block 4 is also and when block 5 is dead, 3 is also, and vice versa.) I

IVhen train A reaches the break between blocks 2 and 3, or somewhere in the vicinity thereto, its grounded shoe -25 makes contact with trac-kside conductor 23 which completes the circuit through energizing coil 16, causing current to flow therethrough and pull down the plunger. On or towards the completion of the throw thereof, .itcloses switch 11 and keeps it closed until the movement of the plunger is reversed.) and 'thereby conuects the heretofore dead blocks 3 and 5 to the source of propulsioncurrent. Block 5 now being alive train B picks up-speed and continues along block 5 and train A continues along block 3. Im the meantime, when the plunger was pulled down to close switch 11, switch 9 opened thereby depriving blocks '2 and 4 of propulsion current.

Assumi-ng train B to be without a grounded shoe '25, and assuming it to run into block 2 before train A passed out of block 3, train B will tend to come to a stop 'or actually stop on block 2 because of the deprivation of current thereto, and block '2 will not receive cur rent until train A passes out of block 3 when thegrounded shoe thereon contacts trackside conductor 20 which energizescoil l5, pulling plunger 14: up=ancl c-losingswitch 9 to energize blocks 2 and i and deenergize blocks 3 .and

And so on around the track.

In conjunction with this system of train control, I may provide suitable lamp circuits. F or instance I may have at each section two lamps one or the other of which will be lighted depending upon whether the section is dead or alive. In the drawing I have shown lamp circuits (imbranchingotl from common conductor 6, and lamp circuits branching off from common conductor 7. Thereare four branch lamp circuits associated with each common conductor, two of which are green and the other two of which are red. Near each section there is a green lamp and a red lamp. Blocks 2 and lhave a green lamp 29 and a red lamp 30 respectively, while bloclis 3 and 5 have each a green lamp 32 and a red lamp 31. Green lamps 29, 29 and red lamps 31, 31 are connected to common conductor 3, so that all four lamps are lighted when blocks 2 and 4 are alive, and are out when sa d sections'are dead while green lamps 32, 32 and red lamps 30, 30 are connected to common conductor 7 so that all four of the latter lamps are lighted when blocks 3 and 5 are alive and are out when said blocks are dead, It will 'thus be seen that when blocks and i are alive green lamps 29, 29 will be lighted at blocks 2 and i, while red lamps 31, 31 will be lighted at 'blocks 3 and the dead blocks. And when blocks 3 and 5 are alive green lamps 32, 32 will be lighted at saidblocks 3 and 5 to indicate that they are alive while red lamps 30, 30 will be lighted at blocks 2 and respectively to indicate in the latter instance that such blocks are dead.

I may take the control out of the trains and place it in a manual switch 28 which may be brought into engagement with contacts 26 and .27, each connected respectively to conductor 19 and 22. Thus when the manual switch is thrown into engagement with contact 26, coil '15 will be energized to exert a pull on the plunger l i, while it switch 28 thrown into engagement with contact 27, coil 16 will be energized to exert a pull on the plunger in the opposite direction.

, All the sections and lamps maybe disconnected from the source by a switch 33.

Train B maybe provided with a grounded shoe 25 in the same manner as train A in which event they will exercise a mutual control on each-other which, when desired, may be supplemented by the manual switch Also neither train A nor train B need have a shoe 25, in which case the control of hetrain may be accomplished by the manual switch 28. Also, only one train need be used, either with or without a shoe 25, in which case the manual switch 28 maybe operated to supplement the control of the train or to control it entirely.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and means controlled by a single train and comprising circuit connection for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead or simultaneously alive, with live blocks and dead blocks arranged in alternation along said track.

2. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and means controlled by a single train and comprising circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead and other of said blocks simultaneously alive, with live blocks and dead blocks arranged in alternation along said track.

3. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, manually controlled means with circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead or simultaneously alive, with dead and live blocks arranged in alternation along said track and a single train controlled device for similarly influencing said blocks.

4. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, manually controlled means with circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead and other of said blocks simultaneously alive, with dead and live blocks arranged in alternation along said track and a single train controlled device for similarly influencing said blocks.

5. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and electrically operated train controlled means with circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead, with at least one live block intervening.

6. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and electrically operated means and circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead or simultaneously alive, with dead blocks arranged in alternation with live blocks along said track.

7. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and electrically operated means and circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead and other of said blocks simultaneously alive, with dead blocks arranged in alternation with live blocks along said track.

8. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and an electromagnetically operated switch and circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead or simultaneously alive, with dead blocks and live blocks arranged in alternation along said track.

9. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and an electromagnetically operated switch and circuit connections for making certain of said blocks simultaneously dead and other of said blocks simultaneously alive, with dead blocks and live blocks arranged in alternation along said track.

10. In a toy electric railway a track divided into blocks, and means whereby a train passing from one block into another will automatically make the block being left dead and the block immediately preceding said latter block alive.

11. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, and means whereby a train passing from one block into another will automatically make the block being entered alive, the block being left dead, and the block preceding the latter block alive.

12. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, alternate blocks being alive while intermediate blocks are dead, and train controlled means for reversing the condition of said blocks.

13. In a toy electric railway a track divided into blocks, alternate blocks being alive while intermediate blocks are dead, and train and manually controlled means for reversing the condition of said blocks.

14:. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, alternate blocks being alive while intermediate blocks are dead, and means whereby a train passing from one block into another will reverse the condition of said blocks.

15. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, alternate blocks being alive while intermediate blocks are dead, and trackside conductors engageable by a train to reverse the condition of said blocks.

16. In a toy electric railway, a track divided into blocks, alternate blocks being alive while intermediate blocks are dead, a trackside conductor, a grounded shoe on a train, and means for reversing the condition of said blocks when said shoe engages said conductor.

17 In a toy electric railway, a group of blocks having their third rails connected by a common conductor, another group of blocks connected by another common conductor, a source of propulsion current, and train controlled means for connecting one or the other of said conductors to said source.

18. In a toy electric railway, a track in the form of a loop divided into blocks, and train controlled means for making some of said blocks dead and the remainder alive in alternation around the extent of the track.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

LEON w. ROSENTHAL. 

